


i found something in the woods somewhere

by golden_tragedy



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Leo has hallucinations, M/M, and Cris helps him figure out what’s real and what’s not, he’s basically Leo’s support system, just mentions of skulls being bashed in, kind of graphic violence, leo just wants to be left alone with Cris, thats about it, that’s all he wants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:54:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28008771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/golden_tragedy/pseuds/golden_tragedy
Summary: Cris didn't speak much that first day. Just wrapped an arm around his shoulders, crouching next to him and stayed that way until Leo stopped crying. Then he smiled, brown eyes crinkling, took Leo's hand, and gently lead him into his room.He made sure Leo got into bed, then he put a finger to his lips and slipped out of the window."We shouldn't be here." Leo crosses his arms, jerking his chin at the no entry sign."Lighten up," Cris presses the flask of cheap whiskey to Leo's mouth
Relationships: Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	i found something in the woods somewhere

Leo is six when his mother dies. At the time he was crushed.

He stood numbly in front of her bed for what felt like hours. He stood there for a while after they took her body to be buried.

And it was when the house had emptied of all the doctors that he fell to his knees, hair falling into his eyes, tears falling onto the white carpet that Cris came.

He was six when the greatest thing to ever happen to him came into being.

Cris didn't speak much that first day. Just wrapped an arm around his shoulders, crouching next to him and stayed that way until Leo stopped crying. Then he smiled, brown eyes crinkling, took Leo's hand, and gently lead him into his room.  
He made sure Leo got into bed, then he put a finger to his lips and slipped out of the window.

Leo smiled when he did that. He's always wanted to sneak out of a window.

He doesn't miss his mother much after the first month. His dad does. Leo doesn’t think he’s seen him in days. 

It doesn’t matter. Cris is enough. He goes with Leo to school because ‘someone has to make sure Dani Alves doesn’t step all over you’. And he was true to his word. Leo doesn’t think a day’s gone by where Cris hasn’t talked about punching Dani in the face, and he always has to tell him not to, because if he punched Dani for all the times he picked on him, Cris would never get out of timeout. 

By the time Leo’s twelve, he and Cris are inseparable. He’s smart so he helps Leo with his homework-even though he says it’s a waste of time- and sits with him at lunch, even though all the cooler kids on the football team want him to sit with them. He always sneaks in from the window in the evenings after Dad kicks him out to make sure Leo's getting into bed instead of playing football against a wall.

They try out for the football team together when they’re fifteen and they both get in. They win game after game after game, but Dani doesn’t like them and he’s been there longer than they have, so they’re kicked off the team. Their anger at this was satiated by the fact that without them, the team seemed barely able to cope and lost eleven of their next twelve games. A record losing streak. 

As they get older and Leo's dad starts to drink more, Cris makes sure the door is locked and sometimes he doesn't leave. He just sleeps on the floor at the foot of Leo's bed like some sort of guardian angel.

"Come on," he says one day, eyes crinkling as he smiles at Leo at five in the morning, one day when they're seventeen. 

"Let's go have some fun."

"What type of fun?" Leo mumbles drowsily

"I don't know," Cris shrugs, "let's go!"

And although Leo hates mornings, he does. Cris would be more than willing to go in his pyjamas, but Leo reminds him they have school, so they pause to brush their teeth and change clothes. 

The sun is just rising as they slip out the window, and Cris is grinning widely, staring up at the sky in complete ecstasy. Leo hasn’t seen that expression on his face since he scored the winning goal in a final. He used to come alive then. You’d almost believe they were playing professionally, instead of on a run down pitch, with the way he would roar in triumph, the way he crackled like electricity and struck when their opponents were most weak. Leo apologises to him a lot for getting him kicked off the team because it’s clear that where his heart lies. But Cris just rolls his eyes, grins and tells him to shut up and that they don’t need this stupid school to make it pro. Leo smiles up at him, and Cris smiles back. 

Leo likes when he smiles. His entire face opens up. 

"Hey, let's go there," Cris jerks his chin toward a fenced in piece of land that spans as far as the eyes can see with a cell phone tower the only blight on the landscape. Leo stares at it, unimpressed. 

"I can't climb over that. And you're drunk." He glances pointedly at the bottle Cris has hidden in the folds of his jacket. 

"Just a little bit. Anyways, I'll help you." He gives Leo a leg up, and then launches himself over it, stumbling a little on the landing.

"We shouldn't be here." Leo crosses his arms, jerking his chin at the no entry sign. 

"Lighten up," Cris presses the flask of cheap whiskey to Leo's mouth, and Leo takes a quick sip, handing it back.

"I don't know how you drink that shit," he rasps, coughing lightly. Cris glares at him over the flask as he takes a much larger gulp than Leo did.

"You were the one who got me hooked me onto this. I didn’t even know what whiskey was before I met you. You’re a bad influence on me Lionel Messi."

"I said I would want to try it, you’re the one who went and brought in three dozen bottles" Leo rolls his eyes

"Well you did. Stop whining."

"Piece of shit."

"Flea." Cris shoves Leo lightly and Leo snorts as he stumbles forwards a few steps, narrowly avoiding a dead bird. He wondered what it's feathers would feel like as he toed it carefully.

Cris peeks over his shoulder, crouches down and picks it up by the wing tips, flapping it absurdly in the air.

Leo cringes away as Cris brings it close to his face

"Coward." Cris says simply, throwing it far away.

"That was a dead-" Leo doubles over, retching loudly before the contents of his stomach come out.

"Oh shit," Cris moves behind him, running a hand down his back until Leo stops, tears streaming down his face and nose running. 

"You've started puking again?"

"I think it's more because I had whiskey on an empty stomach than anything."

"Fuck's sake Leo, start eating." Cris throws a water bottle at him and Leo cleans himself up and then follows Cris.

They walk until they come to the tower, and Cris climbs a few feet up, Leo swinging on the bar just above the ground, chatting about nothing in particular. Just being with each other.

The sun's rising and Cris is just within the reach of the warm light, glowing golden and brown eyes glowing like honey, lips twisting in a mischievous smile that no one but Leo has ever seen. His hair is ungelled for once, and hangs around his face in curls and he is everything Leo is not.

Tall and tan and athletic and confident, but for some reason, they've stayed friends ever since that fateful day. Sometimes Leo feels guilty for remembering that day with fond memories.

Then he looks at Cris and realises he wouldn't have it any other way. He doesn't even remember his mother's name. His father certainly doesn't talk about her.

"You may as well take a picture, Leoziñho."

"Shut up," Leo rolls his eyes

"No, seriously. Take a picture. The lighting is fantastic."

"It's amazing to me that you don't understand why people call you a vain fashion obsessed peacock."

Cris just stares straight into the phone camera with a look that normally sends the girls in the stands into a flurry of cheers. Leo takes it and shows it to him.

"Perfect. Come on, let's get to school. We can walk past those hardasses on the football team while we do it."

"I'm still amazed you come to school."

"Hey, if it's important to you, it's important to me."

They walk in silence, occasionally bumping elbows and grinning until they reach the wire fence separating the football pitch from the school's driveway.

Dani Alves jogs up to meet them as he comes to pick up a ball.

"Get lost," he says with a snap of his overly sharp teeth "no freaks allowed,"

Leo scoffs quietly. Dani was never the best when it came to insults.

"Are you still pissed about me nutmegging you?" Cris grins, jumping at the fence and wrapping his fingertips securely around one of the holes. "I would've thought you were over it after getting both of us kicked off the team."

Dani snarls and heads for the gate with a promise of ‘really fucking you up this time’

Cris laughs, eyes practically shining with delight. 

"What do you think, Leo? Should we hand him his ass?"

"You can't get suspended again, let's just go."

Dani still has a crooked nose from the last time he and Cris fought, and the bruises all over his face still haven’t faded. 

Cris shrugs

"Whatever you say Leoziñho."

Then they spin on their heels and run, Leo concentrating on not tripping over his open laces while Cris laughs wildly next to him. Cris is faster than he is, but as usual, he sticks by Leo. They make it into the school before Dani and slow down. He's not stupid enough to do anything here.

School finishes quickly enough and they both head over to Leo's house. Come to think of it, Cris doesn't spend much time at his own house. It's understandable. It’s a cramped one bedroom apartment. His father is a drinker and his mother is sick, and his five siblings can't stop fighting long enough to get their lives in order. It's not the first and it won’t be the last time Cris crashes at his place.

"Do you know anything about moles?" Leo bites the back of his pen as he stares down at his homework. Cris turns away from the window, lowering the flask from his lips.

"Why the fuck are you doing homework man? It's Halloween."

"And?"

"Let's have some fun," Cris pulls out a bat from behind Leo's bed.

"What the hell are you going to do with that?"

"Nothing, I swear. Come on, man, let's go."

Before Leo can protest, Cris stumbles forward, grabs at his wrist and leads him towards the window.

"You're an asshole," Leo mutters

"As you’ve said multiple times today. Come on, flea, let's go get some fries."

They walk over to where one of the best food trucks in Barcelona usually sets up, grabbing a seat in front of it. Cris goes to talk to the owner, a guy named Karim Benzema, and Leo looks around, grimacing as he sees Dani and his posse of terrible football players a few seats away.

"What a pleasant surprise." Cris throws down the bag of chips, sitting opposite Leo. "Don't they have practice or some shit like that?"

Instead of waiting for Leo to answer, he picks up a chip, throwing it straight at Dani's face. It smacks him in the eye, and after a few seconds, blinking through watery vision, Dani stands up, walking over while slamming his fist into his hand.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, puta?"

Cris just scoffs, picks up the bag of chips and roughly elbows Dani away with a grin before leading Leo away.

"One of these days," Leo grouses "you are going to get pummelled into a bloody mess."

"And then you'll save me," Cris hands Leo the bag and flips his bat in his hand.

Before Leo can protest, he slams it into a mailbox nearby, blasting it off the pole and onto the road, the lid lying a few feet away from the box itself.

An orange piece of paper flutters to the ground, and ignoring Leo's warning, Cris picks it up, reading it before he looks back up, grinning wildly.

"Dani Alves is having a party, you down?"

"Cris that's the worst idea you've had all day,"

"You know you want to," Cris waves the paper right in front of his nose.

"How would we even get in?" Leo slaps it away, starting to walk again

"It's Halloween, idiot. Anyone can get in." Cris jogs to catch up

They decide to wear full skeleton costumes just in case. They get in without fuss, Cris drinks until Leo is the only thing keeping him standing, and that's when he decides to leave.

They walk past Dani Alves as they leave, and Cris murmurs

"Did you like my fry? Did the salt sting your eye?" 

Leo shushes him frantically and picks up the pace. They're at his house by the time Dani and his posse catch up to them.

"It's fine," Cris says, righting himself. "I'll take care of it,"

Except his words are slurring, and he walks into the doorframe twice before he manages to get out.

"Cris!" Leo shouts from inside "come back!"

But Cris is already talking to Dani, calling him words that make Leo flush,

"Cris!" He screams through the window, urgency unmistakable

Then Cris swings his fist. Leo isn't entirely sure how it connects with Dani's face, because it was the slowest,clumsiest punch he's ever seen.

"Fucking-" Dani kicks him straight in the chest "piece of shit!"

"Cris!" Leo swears loudly and with precision that would've made Cris laugh. 

He runs a shaking hand frantically through his hair, heart beating painfully in his throat, shoving the sofa away from the wall so he can see properly. Should he go out, should he go out, should he go out? Leo shifts nervously from foot to foot, screaming Cris's name, but the only sound he hears back is a sickening crunch.

And then there's no indecision. There is no panic. 

It's Leo racing for the door, bat in hand and shouting loudly as he brings it straight down on Jordi Alba's head. It hits someone's back, someone's foot, another one's face.

And then they're all screaming as they run away. One of them is lying motionless on the ground. There’s blood pooling around his head. Leo doesn’t care who it is. 

"Oh my god, Cris!" Leo drops the bat, crouching down next to him, hands shaking as he scrabbles for purchase, trying to get him up, he needs to get inside before they come back- and a hand lands heavily on his shoulder.

He shouts in alarm, throwing himself backward, losing his balance and falling onto his back. He scoots across the grass frantically, trying to get away from the looming figure of his father.

"Don't touch me!" He screams, throwing his arms up to shield his face.

"Leo, I won't touch you," his father's voice is soothing "can you tell me something?"

"You have to help Cris first then I'll tell you anything!" Leo looks up at him, the dew on the grass soaking onto his jeans as he gets up onto his knees.

A muscle ticks in his jaw, but he nods tightly. 

"Okay, I'll help him. Bring him inside."

Leo stands up quickly, making Cris get up too. It’s difficult. One of his arms is bent strangely at the elbow. 

"Cris? Hey, listen. I need you to stand up, okay? Yeah like that. Come on. Arm around my shoulder-yes! Okay, come on."  
He stumbles into the house, Cris a dead weight on him. He drops him onto the sofa, breathing harshly. 

"Leo, now answer my question, okay?"

"Fine," Leo tugs gently on one of Cris’s curls and looks at his father.

"Did you take your medicines in the morning?" His father looks tired.

Leo racks his brain, trying to think.

"No, I forgot. Cris woke me up early.”

"That's what I thought. Here, take them. Then I'll help Cris.”

But Leo knows what will happen once he takes that pill. He sets his jaw resolutely, meeting his father’s gaze. 

“No. Move, I’m taking him to the hospital.”

“Leo, no.”

“Try and stop me.” He hisses, baring his teeth and scowling. He doesn’t care what will happen anymore. He shoves past him, bending to pick Cris up, when a hand grabs his wrist. 

Before he can react, in a movement so sudden that he’s stunned for a few seconds, his father has forced him to the floor and is straddling him knees pressing painfully against his ribs. 

Leo shouts in pain, screwing his eyes shut as he tries to push his father off, but he was never very strong, and there’s a blue pill hovering by his lips. Continuing to struggle, hoping for a little wiggle room he could slip out of, he doesn’t bother opening his mouth. His nose is pinched shut, and with his hands pinned under him, he can’t do anything but reluctantly open his mouth to breathe. He tries to make it quick but he not nearly fast enough, because that pill is practically thrown into the back of his throat, and as a reflex action he swallows it. He screams louder in his anger and frustration, craning his neck to catch a glimpse of Cris who looks a little blurry around the edges. 

He screams something. Maybe it’s ‘no!’ but he really can’t be sure. His struggles intensify, and this time, the weight is lifted. 

Coughing and gasping for air, he crawls his way over to the couch, tears falling freely onto the carpet, the sofa. 

“Cris,” he gets out, shaking his shoulder “Cris, come on, come back” 

Because his edges are disappearing. 

Leo isn’t sure whether it’s saliva or tears that fall onto the sofa this time and he doesn’t really care. 

“Cris, please!” He tries shaking him again, but his fingers just slip through his now blurry shoulder. 

“Cris, please, please, come back, please Cris I need you” his voice is raspy and he has to stop to cough, and he’s crying more than he has in about fifteen years because that is his best friend slowly crumbling around the edges and vanishing into nothing. 

Cris’s chest is still fairly solid, so Leo buries his face in it, because he doesn’t know what to do, he’s losing his best friend again. He is losing Cris again and he can do nothing to stop it because of that pill, that stupid pill that will stay in his system until morning. Until he has to face those terrifying dreams - of doctors and nurses and a figure lying very very still in the sheets-alone and there will be no Cris to sit up from the floor, eyes warm and sympathetic and rub his back until he finishes throwing up. No Cris to wake him up before he even knows they’re happening. No Cris to make sure the door is locked and his father can’t get in. 

His head slips through Cris’s chest, and he turns to look at his face. That’s the only thing left. 

“Cris,” he whispers wetly, licking his lips to try and get the excess saliva off. “I love you, I love you so much, thank you for everything, please come back soon I love you and I miss you.” 

Cris’s face is pallid, but he still looks as perfect as ever. The Cupid’s bow still prominent, jawline still strong and curls still falling into his eyes. Not even unconsciousness could take any of that away from him. 

But that blue pill could take it all away. Because Cris’s Cupid’s bow has disappeared, as has that jawline. His long lashes disappear. His curls disappear. Until the last thing left of him is his earlobe, and the diamond earring before that disappears too and it’s like he was never there. Like Cristiano Ronaldo never existed. 

“Yes. An ambulance.”

“It’s too late,” Leo says dully, “he’s gone.”

“What? No, not for Cris. For Jordi.”

Leo frowns, glancing outside. The boy who fell must have been Jordi Alba. The blood pool around his head is significantly larger. 

“What happened?” 

A long silence as his father looks him up and down. 

“You bashed his skull in.”

——

“He’s a danger to everyone around him.” A soft female voice is saying. 

Leo has been locked in his room for the past 24 hours, shaking and crying. 

“He forgot his medicine for one day! I’ll be better, please. I can’t lose my son.”

Leo shifts onto his back, staring angrily at the ceiling. 

“You’ve seen it yourself. He’s more stable mentally when his hallucination-what was his name?”

“Cris. Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Leo scoffs. Cris was not a hallucination. Never. 

“Right. When Cris is with him. He was under extreme stress that day and lashed out to defend his friend, but otherwise you claim he has been completely alright in the instances where he was unable to take his medicine for medical reasons?”

“Yes. Just spent the day holed up in his room with that Cris of his.”

“Well then you have your answer. We’ll take him with us, make sure he can’t hurt himself or anyone else, and slowly start working through these problems. When did you say Cris started?”

“After his mother died.”

“Hm. He can be helped. But you have to let us take him.”

A long silence in which Leo sits up. 

“Alright.”

There are footsteps and the woman unlocks the door and walks in. 

“Hello, Leo.”

He watches her in silence. 

“I’m going to take you somewhere where you can meet Cris again.”

He tilts his head, watching her with renewed interest. 

“No blue pills.”

“That’s right. No blue pills.”

“Okay” 

And it is. He doesn’t care that his wrists and ankles are tied to the bed with soft restraints the woman calls ‘limb holders’ because Cris is sitting next to him, eyes crinkling and diamond earring glinting as it reflects the white light.

**Author's Note:**

> I genuinely have no idea what the hell this is. This is born out of exam stress and nothing good ever comes of that. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed and please let me know what you think!


End file.
